Apparatus for removing rings from cement kilns



Sept. 5, 1939.y

R. E. BOEHLER 2,172,119

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING RINGS FROM CEMENT KILNS Filed Feb. 18, 1938 2 sheets-sheet 1 :SYY Y Sept 5, 1939. R. E; BQEHLER www APPARATUS FOR REMOVING RINGS FROM CEMSHT KILNS Filed Feb. 18, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 5, 1939 srs APPARATUS FOR. REMOVIING RBNGS FRQM CEMENT S 6 Claims.

The invention relates to apparatus for cutting or loosening the ring of material that builds up Within cement kilns and has for an object to provide improved apparatus of simple construction 5 which will accomplish the cutting of the kiln rings in an ecient manner and with a minimum of time and eiort.

In the progress of raw material through a cement kiln it passes through a stage intermediate l its granular form and the molten stage which it possesses when it leaves the kiln. In this intermediate stage the material is semi-molten and possesses viscous and gummy characteristics so that the same readily adheres to the lining of the kiln and grows by accretion as the kiln rotates until it forms a dam or ring within the kiln, thereby interfering with the operation by reducing the amount of combustion gases passing through the kiln. It is necessary that these rings 21D be removed periodically and it is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus for accomplishing this removal in an ecient manner with the minimum of time and eiort.

A further object of the invention is to provide 25 improved apparatus for the purpose described of simple construction embodying verv few parts and which can be easily operated by one workman.

With these and various lother objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claims appended hereto.

In the drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts- Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing the improved cutting apparatus of the invention in association with the discharge end of the Cement kiln;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view illustrating the driving means for the cutting bar;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 3 3 of Figure 2, showing the cutting bar positioned within the groove of the pulley forming the actuating means therefor;

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view of the handle of the cutting bar illustrating the electrical connections for the driving motor; and

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic 'View showing the electrical connections.

Referring to the drawings, particularly Figure l, the present cutting apparatus is shown in connection with a cement kiln designated in its en- (till. -104.07`)

tirety by numeral I0, which essentially consists of an outer cylindrical member II, suitably mountkiln I0. This ring may be considered as representative of the kiln rings mentioned above and which must be removed periodically as otherwise the operation of the kiln would be seriously affected.

The present cutting apparatus may be directly secured to the hood or end housing Ill which is v provided with a depending frame I5 having the Wheel and axle assemblies designated in their entirety by numeral I6. As shown in Figure 2, the housing I l has secured thereto framework including the parts Il, I8 and 20. 'I'his latter part is in the form of an angle, the horizontal leg thereof providing a base 2| for the electric driving motor 22. The screws 23 xedly secure the base of the motor to the part 20, whereas, the top of the motor is additionally secured to the frame by the member 2G. A pulley 25 is suitably keyedV to the motor shaft 26, as better shown in Figure 3. Said pulley is provided with a relatively deep groove-within which is adapted to rest the cutting bar 2l, the forward end of which may be pointed as at 28, Figure 1, to facilitate its cutting action on the kiln ring I3. The handle or operating erid 36 of the cutting bar 2l is provided with a set of contacts electrically connected to the driving motor 22.

More particularly referring to Figure 4, the handle end of the cutting bar consists of a body member 3I which is provided with a centerrecess for receiving the cutting bar 27, said bar being releasably secured to the body portion by the set screw 32. Secured to the rearwardly projecting end of the body portion 3l by screws 33 is a cylinder 38 of metal or other suitable material having its rear end closed by the end piece 35, which is held in position within the metal cylinder by screws 35. Also located within the cylinder 3Q are insulating rings 3l and 38, the ring 3l being located in the forward end of the cylinder 3@ and retaining the metal contact ring MI. Ring 33 is located in the rear portion of the cylinder and in a like manner retains the metal contact ring 6I Each ring has electrical connection to a terminal designated 62 and 33, respectively, which terminal is suitably insulated from the cylinder and provides means whereby the ends of the elec.

tric power wires 44 may be electrically connected to the respective contact rings. A cover 45 encloses the terminals 42 and 43 and is provided with an insulating ferrule 45 for insulating and protecting said wires 44.

The handle 41 is provided with a stem 48 which extends through the cylinder 34 centrally thereof, being supported for movement at its forward end by the body member 3l and at its rear end by the closure 35. The forward end of the said stem is round in cross section, whereas, the rear is of square formation in order to prevent rotation of the handle and said stem. A metal contact disc 55 is secured by pins 5i to the middle portion of the stem which thereby locates said disc between insulating rings 31 and 38 and between the metal contact rings 4|] and 4|.

The wires 44 from the terminals 42 and 43, respectively, and the third wire 52, which is grounded to the switch casing, are electrically connected to a control box 53. The control box is supplied with electrical power and has connection through leads- 54 with the electric driving motor 22. The form of the invention illustrated in Figure is for direct current only and for operating the same the control box will therefore connect with a source of direct current of 110 volt, for example. Referring to said figure, it will be observed that the field coil of the driving motor is directly connected across the power lines L1 and La, and accordingly when the knife switch KS is closed the motor ileld is energized. Connection of the wire 52 to the switch casing will in eect join said wire to the metal disc 50 through the stem of the handle 48. Movement of the handle in a forward direction will cause the metal disc 50 to contact the terminal 42, whereas, movement in the rearward direction will cause contact with terminal 43.

The control box is' shown as containing fourcontactors M, F, R and A and also two nxed resistors RF and RA. The main contactor M has two normally closed auxiliary contacts MNC and NCM which function to prevent the directional contactors F and R fromv closing until the contactor M has closed. This is a safety precaution to eliminate any current ow on contactor M when closing, thus avoiding the danger of the freezing in of this contactor and the loss of control by the operator.

Contactors F and R indicate the forward and reverse control means, respectively, each contactor having one normally closed auxiliary contact which serves as an electrical interlock, the same being indicated by FNC and NCR, respectively. Contactors F and R also have one main normally closed contact D, which is connected in series across the motor armature and provides for the dynamic braking of the motor. It .is desirable that the motor come to a quick stop after reversing of the switch by the operator and this is accomplished by the electrical connection disclosed, which requires that the vfield coil of the driving motor be continuously energized.

Assuming that the disc 50 is in engagement with terminal 42 current will flow from Li through coil m1 to connection 55 through the interlock NCR, coil f1 to terminal 42 and through wire 52 to the other power line L2. Energizing coil m1 will close the contactor M and energization of coil fr will cause closing of the contactor F. Current YVwill therefore be supplied to the motor .armature through the leads 54; causing forward rotation of the driving motor to thrust the sharp end of the Vcutting bar into the ring within the kiln.

The contactor A is an acceleration contactor and includes a 'resistor AR which is in series with the armature. The control coil of this relay, namely a1, is connected across the armature with a resistor RA in series. When resistor RA is in series with said coil contactor A will not close until the motor has attained approximately ninety per cent full speed. This provides a fast cutting stroke and a slow return stroke, which return stroke will, however, develop considerable power so as to facilitate release of the bar in the event the same should stick in the ring. When this happens the operator must shake the bar, the pulley on which said bar is supported forming a fulcrum point for the bar. As a result pressure of the bar on the pulley is released and the motor attains a full speed, thus closing contactor A and shorting out resistor AR. However, when contactor F is closed for forward movement contact NOF is automatically closed to thereby short out resistor RA- and therefore on the forward or cutting stroke of the bar contactor A is closed and the motor operates at full speed.

When the handle 41 is moved rearwardly to bring disc 50 and contact 43 in engagement current will flow through coil m1 to connection 55 through electrical interlock FNC. coil r1, terminal 43 and wire 52 to the other side of the power line. AThe main contactor will accordingly close due to energization of mi and this time the rearward contactor R will close since the coil r1 has been energized. Current will therefore be supplied to the motor armature through the leads 54. The resistor RF, through which the current flows before passing through the forward or rearward contactor, as the case may be, is a fixed resistor which limits the power to the armature to a denite value.

It be observed that the normally closed contacts D associated with the contactors F and R, respectively, are thereby influenced by the coils fr and n, which coils actuate the said contactors to cause them to close. of the normally closed contacts D, the actuation is just opposite, or, in other words, said contacts are caused to open when the coils are energized. Therefore, energization of coil f1 results in supplying current through the leads 54 to the motor armature and simultaneously therewith the snorting of the motor armature is discontinued by opening of one of the normally closed contacts D. However, just as soon as the contactor F opens its corresponding contact D will close to short the motor armature and eiect a dynamic braking of the motor. The operation for dynamically braking the motor is similar for the contactor R and it will therefore be seen that the motor is automatically dccelerated following its rotation in both a forward and rearward direction.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for removing rings from cement kilns and the like, the combination with a cutting bar having a relatively sharp forward end, a handle located at the rear end of said cutting bar, said handle being movably mounted with respect to the said bar and adapted to be grasped by the operator, reversible power means provided with a. rotatable driving shaft, a grooved pulley xed to said` shaft and supporting said cutting bar in the groove thereof, whereby said cutting In 'the case' bar is supported and axially driven in either a forward or a rearward direction, and manual control means for selectively reversing said power means, said control means having association with said handle and being operated by movement thereof with respect to said bar.

2. In apparatus for removing rings from cement kilns and the like, the combination with a cutting bar having a relatively sharp forward end, a handle located at the rear end of said 'cutting bar, said handle being mounted for movement axially of the bar and adapted to be grasped by the operator, electrical power means provided with a rotatable driving shaft, a grooved pulley fixed to said shaft andi supporting said cutting bar in the groove thereof, whereby said cutting bar is supported and axially driven in either a forward or a rearward direction, and a reversing switch for said electric power means for controlling the direction of movement of said cutting bar, said switch having association with said handle and being so constructed and arranged that forward movement of the handle will proment of said handle for reversing the direction duce forward movement of said cutting bar, and whereby rearward movement of the handle will produce rearward movement of the cutting bar.

3. In apparatus for removing rings from cement kilns and the like, the combination with a cutting bar having a relatively sharp forward end, a handlelocated at the rear end of said cutting bar, said handle being mounted for movement axially of the bar and adapted to be grasped by the operator, electrical power means provided with" a rotatable driving shaft, a pulley fixed to said shaft and supporting said cutting bar, whereby said cutting bar is supported and axially driven in either a. forward or rearward direction, and switch means carried by said cutting bar adjacent said handle and having connection therewith, said switch means being actuated by movement of the handle and providing a control for the electrical power means whereby the same may be started, stopped or reversed.

4. In apparatus for removing rings from cement kilns, the combination with a cutting bar having switch means on the rear end thereof, a reversible electric motor provided with a rotatable driving shaft, a grooved pulley fixed to said shaft and supporting said cutting bar in the groove thereof, whereby said cutting bar is supported and axially driven in either a forwardA or rearward direction, said switch means when actuated in a forward direction energizing'said electric motor to cause forward movement of the cutting bar, and when actuated in a rearward direction energizing said electric motor to cause rearward movement of the cutting bar, and other electrical connections constructed and arranged to cause dynamic braking of said motor upon actuation of said switch means to reverse its direction of rotation.

5. In apparatus for the purposes described, in combination, a cutting bar having a relatively sharp forward end, a handle mounted for axial movement at the rear end of said cutting bar and adapted to be grasped by the operator, a reversible electric motor provided with a rotatable driving shaft, a grooved pulley fixed to said shaft and supporting said cutting bar in the groove thereof, whereby said cutting bar is supported and axially driven in either a forward or rearward direction, and control means having association with said handle and being operated by moveof rotation of the said electric motor, the electrical connections between said control means and motor being constructed and arranged to cause a fast forward stroke of said cutting bar and a relatively slow rearward stroke.

6. In apparatus for the purposes described, in combination, a cutting bar having a relatively sharp forward end, a handle mounted for axial movement at the rear end of said cutting bar and adapted to be grasped by the operator, a reversible electric motor provided with a rotatable driving shaft, a grooved pulley fixed to said shaft and supporting said cutting bar in the groove thereof, whereby said cutting bar will travel forwardly when said pulley rotates in one direction and will be caused to travel rearwardly when the pulley rotates in an opposite direction, and a switch for reversing the direction of rotation of said electric motor, said switch having association with'the handle and being actuated by axial movement of said handle, the electrical connections between the switch and said notor being constructed and arranged to dynamically brake the motor when said switch is actuated to reverse its direction of rotation.

ROBERT E. BOEHLER.. 

